Legal Studies

This course examines the body of law known as International Law or sometimes ‘Public International Law', as distinct from ‘Private International Law'. The field of International Law deals with many aspects of the functioning of the international community (including the relations of States with each other and with international organizations); it also affects many activities that occur within or across State boundaries (including the treatment by States of their citizens, environmental law, military operations, and many other areas). 

This course examines histories and continuing legacies of colonialism and racialization and their interaction with legal systems and criminalization. Topics covered could include dispossession and theft of sovereignty in settler colonial nations, structural racism and its relation to law, racialized policing and profiling, mass incarceration policies and movements by Indigenous peoples and people of color to achieve social and legal justice.

This course examines the theoretical frameworks, empirical cases, policy instruments, and cutting-edge debates in the fields of international non-legal social norms and international law from an International Relations perspective. The course goes beyond the conventional moralistic and black-letter approaches, and instead focuses on the political contexts, causes, and consequences of norms and international law. The course is structured in three parts. First, we will focus on the different theoretical perspectives in International Relations for understanding norms and international law, such as realist, liberal, and constructivist approaches. Second, the course will examine the general issues of norms and international law, including the actors of norms and international law, the creation and sources of norms and international law, and the problem of compliance. Third, we will examine the interrelationships between norms and international law, on the one hand, and international politics, on the other hand, in several global issue areas, such as the use of force, human rights, international criminal justice, the environment, and/or trade. 

CIEE supports qualified students who wish to pursue an academically rigorous independent research project while abroad. In order to enroll, students must submit a research proposal including a clearly defined research topic,
explanation of research plans, description of preparation in the planned area of study, list of resources, tentative outline of a final paper, and suggested schedule of progress. Students complete a total of 100-120 hours of
research and meet regularly with an advisor to complete an academically rigorous, ethically sound, and culturally appropriate research project and final research paper. Approval for participation in Directed Independent Research
must be obtained from CIEE and the student's home institution prior to arrival on the program.

This is an independent research course with research arranged between the student and faculty member. The specific research topics vary each term and are described on a special project form for each student. A substantial paper is required. The number of units varies with the student’s project, contact hours, and method of assessment, as defined on the student’s special study project form.

This course examines a range of legal skills that are crucial for successful legal studies and for professional practice. Students learn the essential skills that enable them to engage with and use our principal sources of law - case law and legislation. In addition to teaching students how to analyze case law and legislation and to formulate legal arguments, the course also covers the key legal principles of statutory interpretation and the role of the courts in interpreting statutes.

This course delves into the intricate domains of urban planning and environmental management, offering a multifaceted exploration of critical topics essential for sustainable development and effective governance. It examines public goods, infrastructure development, urban planning, and environmental conservation from a legal framework.

This course offers an introduction to animal law. It discusses the historical and philosophical change from viewing animals as mere property to that of property and subject of protection simultaneously and how that has evolved and is regulated in domestic and international legal systems. This course also examines existing anti-cruelty legislation, responsible pet ownership, animals as family members, animal experimentation, animal breeding and slaughter for consumption, wildlife protection, and hunting and fishing regulation. 

This course provides an overview of the Civil Code, the basic law of civil society. Specifically, the course examines the basic system of civil law, basic principles, laws regarding contracts, ownership, family,  inheritance, etc.